When investigating damp problems within a property a competent surveyor has many tools at 

his disposal but should never rely upon just one for an accurate diagnosis. 

It is worrying how many surveys are undertaken using an electric damp meter alone, an instrument designed to 

measure the moisture content in timber and not masonry. 

 There are many other elements other than damp that can cause a meter to display high readings, certain types of concrete block, metal foil backed plaster board, wall paper paste and hydroscopic salts to name a few. 

To undertake remedial repairs without profiling a wall to include taking and testing 

core samples from within the wall itself is considered ill-advised. 

A chemically injected DPC may very well give the impression of having resolved a damp issue but it is most likely 

the true cause of the problem is allowing damp to slowly work its way to the surface again. 

It is highly likely that a Chartered Surveyor would soon identify an ill-advised attempt at remedial worse should 

you look to sell your property in the future.

We have seen countless damp and timber reports that advise a chemical injected damp proof course be installed 

whilst at the same time recommending external ground levels should be lowered or guttering fixed, 

these after thoughts are normally the true cause of the damp and are far cheaper to address.



We have at our disposal carbide meters, moisture meters, relative humidity readers, salt analysis test kits, 

thermal imagery, aerial and drone photography and off-site laboratory testing of core and surface samples of masonry. 

Although many damp proofing contractors would have people believe otherwise, it is a fact that failure

 of an existing damp proof course is extremely rare.

Only 10% of all damp problems are to do with alleged rising dampness and these include 

ancient houses never built with a damp proof course. 

This means 90% of unwanted dampness is nothing to do with failure of the damp proof course 

and this should be the last thing to be considered.

Rising dampness cannot be proven by electrical meters alone and anyone specifying works based only in this type of 

analysis should be shown the door!.

Such meters are a useful tool only in helping identify areas requiring further investigation. 

Contractors who state otherwise are misleading their client.

Condensation is the most common cause of dampness in UK properties yet it is often mistaken for rising damp. 

It is alarming how many properties have been chemically injected with a new damp proofing 

system when condensation was the problem all along.

Black mould will often form on cold spots such as the lower corners of walls and bay windows, giving the 

impression of something coming from below ground. 

Correct analysis would determine the existence of condensation

 and allow a proper remedy to be employed

To prove "rising" dampness would require

laboratory analysis of wall samples.

Every year thousands and thousands of pounds are
wasted or either unnecessary or inappropriate repairs to properties in the UK with supposed rising damp.   

But please, don't take our word for it.....

THE SOCIETY FOR THE PROTECTION OF ANCIENT BUILDINGS

"According to Douglas Kent, Technical
Secretary of SPAB, the inappropriate installation of damp-proof courses to combat rising damp accounts for much unnecessary work on old buildings.

True rising damp is rarer than commonly perceived
but is regularly misdiagnosed. 

In the SPAB's experience, mortgage lenders can
demand unnecessary damp-proofing work during house purchases.

Although chartered surveyors have a duty to follow a trail of suspicion, some simply pass all responsibility onto remedial treatment contractors with a vested commercial interest encouraging over-specification.

It is worth challenging any recommendation you believe is questionable and, if necessary, seeking a second
opinion in writing from an independent chartered surveyor or consultant (note, not contractor). "

ITV HOUSE OF HORRORS

"Damp is a fertile area for rip-off traders as
the very word can set alarm bells ringing and panic householders into paying anything to have the problem dealt with.

In reality, many older properties in Britain have some form of damp within the structure, but often this does not need serious remedial work to treat.

As you can’t see what is really going on with damp you do rely on the damp-proofing company to be honest."